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Friday, July 11, 2014

For Obedience

Flesh
loves the do nothing gospel. It revels in the idea that with minimal effort one
can ensure an eternity of paradise, and being flesh, it puts forth the least
possible amount of exertion it can.

Many
today are not intellectually curious. They do not ask ‘why’ anymore, simply
content with the status quo, and with being told that they’re ok, they’re
saved, they made it through, and they will stay there indefinitely if they
continue to fund the lifestyle to which their chosen wolf in sheep’s clothing has
become accustomed.

Contrary
to popular belief we are not saved and sanctified just for the sake of being
saved and sanctified. We are saved and sanctified for obedience. God calls us,
and cleanses us with the full and justified expectation of having an obedient
servant which He can use in the manner He sees fit.

We
are elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification
of the Spirit for obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Christ.

Why
would God be justified in His expectation for obedience one might ask? Granted,
those who would ask such a question have likely been feasting on a steady diet
of self-esteem smoothies, and self-empowerment shakes courtesy of one fool or
another, but if we looked in the mirror of the Word and saw our true nature as
it once was, and what God has made of us through the sprinkling of the blood of
Christ, we would evermore understand why God is justified in His expectation of
obedience.

The
butterfly was once a caterpillar, the new regenerate man, was once an old
degenerate one. In understanding what God did for us through Christ on Calvary,
we will never shy away from obedience, or consider our obedience a hard task.

Not
only were we elect to the foreknowledge of God the Father, we were likewise sanctified
of the Spirit.God sanctified us by His
Holy Spirit. This is a profound truth that few are willing to delve into
anymore because it’s just easier to tell people to raise their hand and repeat
a prayer.

It
is the Spirit that transforms us from sinner to saint; it is the Spirit that
works the work of regeneration in us once we have been sprinkled by the blood
of Christ. It is not a denomination or belonging to a certain church group, it
isn’t even being water baptized that transforms us, it is the Holy Spirit in us
doing the work the Father has commanded Him to do.

Although
marginalized of late, the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer
is indispensable, and we neglect and deny Him to our detriment. To hear some
preachers speak of the Holy Spirit one would consider His role minimal at best.
They speak of the Spirit and the work of the Spirit in the past tense more
often than not, attempting to convince the household of faith that the work the
Holy Spirit was to have done is already completed, and now we no longer have need
of His services because we have denominations and theological degrees.

I
don’t know about you but hearing what some denominations have been up to of
late, seeing how they are actively subverting the Gospel and denying the Word
of God, I’m somewhat leery if not altogether opposed to the idea of being
associated with any of them.

How
long before we ourselves are corrupted if we now cast our lot in with those who
deny the Christ? How long before we ourselves are become reprobate if by our
silence and continued belonging we are tacitly acquiescing to what these men
have done?

We
must get beyond the pigeonholes we’ve created for ourselves in our chosen
denominations, and see the glorious Gospel for all that it is, believing it
rather than the words of men, and holding it up as the final authority for the
doctrines we choose to embrace.

We
were sanctified for obedience. We were not sanctified to question God, we were
not sanctified to revise the Word, and we were not sanctified to make the faith
more palatable for the godless and the heathen. We were sanctified for
obedience, so all that is incumbent upon us to do is to obey.

2 comments:

A Sister in Washington
said...

I was at a church prayer a couple days ago and as always, the pastor asked at the end of the prayer hour if anyone had any images or impressions to share about what we felt the Holy Spirit was telling us. Usually I have nothing to share, but this time I had a very strong impression (I don't feel right about calling it a "vision") of being in a large church sanctuary with a lot of people. There was a bright light up front and it was getting brighter. People were getting up and walking toward the light, very much in awe and very much attracted. Others, however, in the pews were wincing and being repelled by the light and standing up and leaving the sanctuary. There was others that stayed sitting in the pews, clearly torn between the two groups. You could see they were somewhat attracted by the light, but they were also looking after the people that had left; I got the sense that these were friends, spouses, relatives, people they respected, and they were torn about following them into darknesss or making the harder choice of choosing the light and being in conflict and disunity with those who chose the darkness. I told my prayer group that I thought there was a very obvious filtering and separation going on in the church and that we should not be surprised or shocked when people we thought were strong, mature Christians started walking away from the church and/or Christ. They might still be in some religious institution, but their hearts weren't set on chasing after Jesus. I said I recommend we pray and warn such people, but I wouldn't spend a lot of time or energy chasing after them. They had made their choice. It was the ones in the pews, the "undecided" that you might still be able to reach. I could tell my pastor was somewhat disturbed by what I shared, but he didn't rebuke me. I made it clear that I didn't think it was this particular church that was going to be seeing a spiritual exodus, but rather Christendom as a whole. I think the great falling away described in the Bible has already started.

Thank you. I look forward to your posts. It encourages me to continue in God's work. Recently, as our church participated in Anne Graham Lotz's 777 prayer and fasting time, we focused on repentance for our church, community and nation and the body of Christ everywhere. After this week of prayer, God is pouring out repentance. We continue to pray for this sanctification from selfish living to selfless living for Christ. God led me to pray that he would add meat to our bones. May it be true as the church wakes up to serve God, instead of themselves.